George Sale's version of the Qur'án I typed from the original print versions (from the 1800's and early 1900's - different editions had different materials which I discovered at different stages, so I used several editions to include all of the items). Rodwell's version of the Qur'án was based on a Project Gutenberg online text to which I added a Suráh that had been missed (at the time) and some other corrections and notes. -B.Z.

The Sale translation is available for purchase but please be aware that the print is very small, due to limitations faced by the publisher in preserving the original pagination (important since the original version had no verses).

Many thanks to Jonah Winters for his tireless efforts for the
Bahá’í Library website including the inclusion of this
work. I would also like to thank Dr. Robert Stockman and the Research
Department at the Bahá’í National Center for allowing me
the use of their copies of George Sale’s translation of the
Qur’án. And lastly, of course, thanks to my beloved family.

Update: Many thanks also to Roy Fullmer for reporting several verse numbering corrections (which have now been fixed).

This is dedicated to Orlando Nuñez, a steadfast Bahá'í who has passed on to the realm beyond.

Recommendations Concerning Translations of the Qur’án and
Introductory Books on the Bahá’í Faith

The Research Department has studied the questions on the
above-mentioned subjects raised by Mr....Zamir in his email message of 8
June 2002 to the Universal House of Justice. We provide the following
comments.

Translations of the Qur’án

Mr. Zamir explains that he is aware of Shoghi Effendi’s statements
concerning the positive features of the early English translations of
the Qur’án by Rodwell and Sale. He indicates that, since the
Sale translation has long been out of print, he has contemplated typing
the Sale translation of the text and the accompanying notes to make them
available online. Before embarking on such a project, Mr. Zamir seeks
guidance as to whether the Rodwell and Sale translations may have been
superseded by more recent translations of the Qur’án.

The Research Department has not been able to locate any specific
guidance of the Universal House of Justice concerning the use of more
recent translations of the Qur’án. It is interesting to note
that in relation to the use of more recent renderings of the Bible1
the Universal House of Justice, in the letter written on its behalf to a
National Spiritual Assembly on 2 December 1987, affirms that “there is
nothing in statements made by Shoghi Effendi to indicate that the
friends may not use other translations of the Bible”, and in response to
an inquiry from the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia concerning
the permissibility of using other versions of the Bible for readings in
the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the letter written on
behalf of the Universal House of Justice stated:

...there do not appear to be any grounds for limiting
selected readings from the Bible to the Authorized Version onlly [and]
the decision is left entirely to your discretion. (13 November 1974)

In the light of the guidance from the Universal House of Justice
concerning the Bible, and in the absence of specific authoritative
statements concerning new translations of the Qur’án, it seems
reasonable to assume that individuals are free to exercise their
discretion when choosing which translation of the Qur’án to use.

As to translations of the Qur’án, it is the view of the Research
Department that there are a number of very good translations, in
addition to those done by Sale and Rodwell. To some extent, the choice
of a particular translation is dictated by the specific needs and
purpose of the reader–some translations have helpful notes, others
number each verse, others include both the Arabic and English texts,
some project the approach of the particular sect of Islám they
support, some are literary, etc.

__________________

1 In the case of the Bible, a letter written on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi dated 28 October 1949 states, “Shoghi Effendi himself
uses the King James version of the Bible, both because it is an
authoritative one and in beautiful English”.

Although Shoghi Effendi praised George Sale's translation for its
accuracy, it is surely not as inspiring to read as is Rodwell's or other
more recent versions. The importance of using a literary translation
(such as Rodwell's) might be further underscored by this letter on
behalf of the Universal House of Justice (at http://bahai-library.com/uhj/translation.subsisting.html):
"just as there are millions of Christians who would not trade the King
James Version of the Holy Bible, once one has caught the flavor of the
English translations done by Shoghi Effendi -- or done in the style he
developed -- the beauty and power of expression become appealing and
inspiring. One comes to fall in love with that style." However, Sale's
accuracy (and its notes) are enlightening for giving a more precise
understanding of Islám than a literary-style translation might
alone give. However, especially given the literary genius of the
original Qur'án let alone its divine origin, something is clearly
lost in the translation.

Of course improvements may be made upon accuracy as well. The obvious
bias of the translator (as can be seen in the introduction to the
American version) is less pronounced in the notes, and Shoghi Effendi
saw fit to recommend and even praise both the notes and the translation.
However, again, this is not to say improvements could not be made.
Shoghi Effendi's repeated recommendations of Bahá'u'lláh
and the New Era did not preclude other books perhaps taking its
place: "Shoghi Effendi surely hopes that before long the Cause may
produce scholars that would write books which would be far deeper and
more universal in scope, but for the present this [Bahá'u'lláh
and the New Era] is the best we possess to give a general idea as
to the history and teachings of the Faith to new seekers." (Messages
of Shoghi Effendi to the Indian Subcontinent, p. 88) And despite
this praise, the general principle remains (as affirmed here in the
Writings) that a believer in Islám (perhaps especially one
enlightened by the new guidance of this age) can, all else being equal,
best render, however inadequately, the spirit of the original: "Even
though we can refer to a non-Bahá'í when we have no one
among the friends to undertake a proper work of translation, yet it is
always preferable to have it accomplished by a person who is embued with
the spirit and is already familiar with the different expressions of
Bahá'í conceptions unfamiliar to a
non-Bahá'í." (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Messages of
Shoghi Effendi to the Indian Subcontinent, p. 83) Certainly it is
preferable as a Bahá'í to read nonprejudicial notes as
well, but I have included the notes as is, given that most are unbiased
in tone and content.

As to specific instances of this translation which have come under
criticism for their perceived bias (e.g., "slay the victims"
(Surá/Chapter 108)), much of this would seem to me, through
reading of the rest of the translation and notes, to be not as much due
to prejudice of the translator as due to the different use of language
at the time (or at least the ideolect of this particular author). For
example, his use of "victim" in other contexts seems merely to describe
a person as an object of a killing, rather than necessarily including
the connotation of the object being innocent, defenseless, etc.
Likewise, the reference to "cohabitation" with wives is simply a
description of this condition of living together and not a slight
implying its other connotations of being an immoral condition. Even
Sale's use of "pretend" might seem to me to be used in his writings in a
sense more equivalent to a neutral term such as "claim" rather than
being a necessary biased term implying the subject of the "pretending"
is lying.

Whether for the sake of following what some may perceive to be a
timeless recommendation in the Writings, for having a common version to
refer to among Bahá'ís (though this does not exist for
Bibles (see http://bahai-library.com/uhj/king.james.bible.html),
and Shoghi Effendi even recommended two different versions of the
Qur'án), or simply for curiosity's sake as to which version of
the Qur'án earlier Bahá'ís were exposed to
(including Shoghi Effendi who himself was reported by James Heggie in Bahá'í
References to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, p. 247 to have used
this translation for basing his own translations, at least before 1931),
it is hoped that this translation of the Qur'án can be of use.
In any case, I would imagine the notes could be informative, even if
more recent scholarship has shed new light in expanding upon or
correcting the information Sale had available.

Note that the translation part was based on the American edition
(although the notes have been changed to reflect the British version).

I did change several words such as "honor", "rigor", "color", etc. into
"honour", etc, and also, "intitled" into "entitled", etc., but there
seem to have been other differences in italics and possibly other areas
between the two versions. I did not feel it was sufficiently important
to proofread the text again to ensure it fully reflect the British
version since it already matched the American version, and the main
differences were corrected in the above manner. If someone wanted to
proof my version with the British print copy to verify any other
differences which may exist (most likely minor ones) and submit the
corrections, they would be welcome to do so, although we would probably
not update the multlinear version, since it would necessitate changing
the whole file (unless the corrector actually told us exactly where the
differences were if there were not too many to do).

Letters on behalf of the Guardian commend Sale's translation as
"admirable" and "almost classical". These letters also indicate that at
least for the time they were written, Sale's translation was the "most
accurate rendering available, and...the most widespread." However, it
was contrasted with Rodwell's version by stating that Sale's was the
"most scholarly we have, but Rodwell's version is more literary, and
hence easier for reading".

These letters also commend the commentaries and explanatory notes in
Sale's Qur'án as being helpful. I have presumed that the
Guardian was referring to the notes at the end of the book rather than
the rather vituperative introduction in one of the editions (which I did
not feel was worthwhile to type up).

"As to the question raised by the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles
concerning the best English translation of the Qur'an, the Guardian
would recommend Sales' translation which is the most accurate rendering
available, and is the most widespread."

(Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian,
p. 63)

"It is certainly most difficult to thoroughly grasp all the Surihs of
the Qur'án, as it requires a detailed knowledge of the social,
religious and historical background of Arabia at the time of the
appearance of the Prophet. The believers can not possibly hope,
therefore, to understand the Surihs after the first or even second or
third reading. They have to study them again and again, ponder over
their meaning, with the help of certain commentaries and explanatory
notes as found, for instance, in the admirable translation made by SALE,
endeavor to acquire as clear and correct understanding of their meaning
and import as possible. This is naturally a slow process, but future
generations of believers will certainly come to grasp it. For the
present, the Guardian agrees, that it would be easier and more helpful
to study the Book according to subjects, and not verse by verse and
also in the light of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and
'Abdu'l-Bahá's interpretation which throw such floods of light on
the whole of the Qur'án."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Directives
of the Guardian, p. 64)

“Shoghi Effendi wishes me also to express his deep-felt appreciation of
your intention to study the Qur'án. The knowledge of this
revealed holy Book is, indeed, indispensable to every
Bahá'í who wishes to adequately understand the writings of
Bahá'u'lláh. And in view of that the Guardian has been
invariably encouraging the friends to make as thorough a study of this
Book as possible, particularly in their Summer Schools. Sale's
translation is the most scholarly we have, but Rodwell's version is more
literary, and hence easier for reading.”

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The
Importance of Deepening, p. 221)

"Regarding your question about the meaning of the words on page 50 of
the Seven and Four Valleys: This is a verse of the Qur'án which
Bahá'u'lláh quotes; the word patron here means helper - in
other words when God misleads a soul, he shall find no other helper. You
would find Sale's translation and comments on the Qur'án helpful
in getting at the story back of such verses as this one."

(On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Lights
of Guidance, p. 485)

Although this particular verse does not have any notes which illuminate the word patron, Sale's translation of the verse (on p. 53 of the present edition of the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys) does do so: "Whomsoever GOD shall direct, he shall be rightly directed: and whomsoever he shall cause to err, thou shalt not find any to defend, or to direct.". The full context (and notes) for this verse can be found here.

"There is a disagreement among Oriental scholars relative to the exact
date of the birth of Muhammad. You should refer to authorities on the
subject, such as Sale, whose translation of the Qur'án has become
almost classical."

(From a letter written on behalf of the
Guardian to an individual believer, July 10, 1939, quoted in Lights
of Guidance, p. 495)

The only quotation I could find in the Bahá’í Writings
referring to Rodwell’s translation (or any other translation besides
Sale’s) is the following:

“Shoghi Effendi wishes me also to express his deep-felt appreciation of
your intention to study the Qur'án. The knowledge of this
revealed holy Book is, indeed, indispensable to every
Bahá'í who wishes to adequately understand the writings of
Bahá'u'lláh. And in view of that the Guardian has been
invariably encouraging the friends to make as thorough a study of this
Book as possible, particularly in their Summer Schools. Sale's
translation is the most scholarly we have, but Rodwell's version is more
literary, and hence easier for reading.”

Shoghi Effendi in the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh
draws attention to how Bahá'ís may come to "recognize" the
"sequence" of, as well as the "interdependence", "wholeness" and "unity"
with, the other religions a Bahá'í must come to accept.
This sequence of course implies a challenge to those from a Jewish or
Christian background. The Bahá'í Writings unequivocally
uphold the advance which Islám made over prior religions,
including Judaism and Christianity.

'Abdu'l-Bahá made several talks in Europe and America on the
importance of Jews and Christians accepting Muhammad. (See the Promulgation
of Universal Peace (pp. 366-369, 409-410) Mahmud's Diary adds
insight to the context of these talks, and Shoghi Effendi in God
Passes By praises 'Abdu'l-Bahá for His boldness in setting
forth these proofs.) 'Abdu'l-Bahá indicates its importance for
the Jews to be fair to accept Christ (and Muhammad) in obtaining
tranquility (see pp. 407-415 in Promulgation of Universal Peace
for a powerful and prophetic account). These talks are especially
powerful in bringing a human element to the importance of Jews and
Christians being taught to accept Muhammad not only in being brought
into enjoying the more advanced social teachings brought by Islám
and now the Bahá'í Faith, but also by at least allowing
them to make peace with Muslims by doing so. To take one explicit
example: "Muhammed recognized the sublime grandeur of Christ and the
greatness of Moses and the prophets. If only the whole world would
acknowledge the greatness of Muhammad and all the Heaven-sent Teachers,
strife and discord would soon vanish from the face of the earth, and
God's Kingdom would come among men. The people of Islám who
glorify Christ are not humiliated by so doing. Christ was the Prophet
of the Christians, Moses of the Jews–why should not the followers of
each prophet recognize and honour the other prophets also?"
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, section 13.17-13.19, pp.
40-41, underlining added)

The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh Themselves both personally
taught Christians to accept Muhammad. The Bahá'í Writings
are full of praise of the greatness of the Holy Qur'án and its
Holy Prophet, Muhammad.

Bahá'u'lláh's most important doctrinal work, the Kitáb-i-Íqán,
indicates that Muhammad can Himself be considered to represent the
Return of the Spirit of Christ (see p. 26 for example) (although perhaps
the great Return in the Glory of the Father is more adequately
represented by Bahá'u'lláh's coming in this new cycle (see Lights
of Guidance, p. 493)).

Shoghi Effendi refers to Islám's spiritual effect on bringing
about the Reformation (Lights of Guidance, p. 494) (although the
primacy of Peter is upheld, the Reformation is seen as an advance given
the lack of justification for the Church adding to its powers (let alone
refusing Islám)).

These are only a few of the highlights which should indicate to
Bahá'ís the fundamental connection which must (at least
eventually if not at the start for some) be made to seekers as to the
need for mankind to accept Islám as a divinely revealed religion.

This is nothing to speak of how 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi
describe Islám's contributions to the intellectual advancement of
the West. (See Secret of Divine Civilization (as well as another
book perhaps which is apparently referred to in The Secret of
Divine Civilization, The History of the Intellectual
Development of Europe by John William Draper–excerpts are available
at http://bahai-library.com/excerpts/europe.draper.html),
a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi in Unfolding Destiny, p.
496, and a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi quoted in Lights of
Guidance, vol. iii, pp. 496-497 ((on the Renaissance)).

There are also numerous Writings (included below) which indicate the
importance of Bahá'ís not only studying the
Bahá'í books such as the Kitáb-i-Íqán
which refer to the Qur'án, but for the need to go back to the
Qur'án (and Bible) to unravel the rest of the mysteries therein.
A study of Islám and the Qur'án is recommended both for
enabling us to understand our own Faith as well as to be able to teach
it better to others.

Nevertheless, some may think it is easier for people to accept the
Bahá'í Faith before Islám and thus unimportant to
be familiar with Islám. While some may accept the
Bahá'í Faith in this manner (and perhaps could only have
been approached successfully in this manner), it should be pointed out
that some cannot accept the Faith because of its embrace of Islám
as a divinely inspired religion, and others perhaps will only become
interested in the Bahá'í Faith when they can witness our
exposition of a phenomenon which has already been on the world scene for
a longer time.

For those concerned that broaching the subject of Islám in the
current climate of world conflict would possibly be untimely in some
situations or that some Christians or Jews would not be immediately
ready to be taught of Islám, the following quotation might
indicate support for this idea:

"The friends should uphold Islám as a revealed Religion in
teaching the Cause but need not make, at present, any particular attempt
to teach it solely and directly to non-Bahá'ís at this
time." (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Lights of Guidance,
p. 497)

Nevertheless, the above-mentioned letter goes on to state, however,
that: "The mission of the American Bahá'ís is, no doubt,
to eventually establish the truth of Islam in the West.” (On behalf of
Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Lights of Guidance, p. 497)

Moreover, we might again consider 'Abdu'l-Bahá's boldness in
speaking out in synagogues and churches in Europe and America as to the
importance of accepting Muhammad (this was done publicly and in a time
which was perhaps less accustomed and tolerant in the West of
considering non-Christian perspectives with an open mind).

In defending Islám, however, we ought not go too far in denying
the accountability which some of the protagonists of Islám have
had in straying from the original Spirit of Islám and in
persecuting Bahá'u'lláh and ignoring His summons. There is
also recognition in the Writings, despite its praise of Islám's
role in the development of civilization, of the sometimes checkered
record of the exploits of some of its followers.

The actions of those of any Faith must always be distinguished from
that of its Founder (though we can look dispassionately to the positive
fruits of a Faith as evidence of its original validity). As
Bahá'ís, we are to consider it our duty to uphold
Islám's spiritual validity as a more progressive unfoldment of
God's purpose than any Revelation prior to it, even while we maintain
that its laws (and spiritual impulse) have been superceded by this new
Dispensation.

The Kitáb-i-Íqán and Some Answered
Questions are of course vital to this endeavor.

In addition, Lights of Guidance and some other collections
which include Shoghi Effendi's interpretations are critical to
understand fundamental misconceptions and sources of conflict between
Christians and Muslims (see Lights of Guidance on Islám
for example on Christ being the Son of God, on the meaning of Him not
being crucified, etc.) These can help Bahá'ís to help
reconcile these apparent conflicts for Christians.

Regarding Islám's Teachings on Polygamy as an advance over
Christianity

Another quotation elaborates on a specific element to include in study
in summer schools (or presumably any Centers of Bahá’í
Learning) regarding Islám (though it cannot be considered as
verifiably authentic since it is from a pilgrim’s note) (namely that
whereas Christianity did not only not prohibit polygamy (which
Islám at least indirectly did and outwardly restricted it) but
actually its priests added their own corrupt invention of celibacy over
marriage (as the Qur’án itself confirms):

“Jesus abrogated two laws of Moses, Sabbath and prohibited divorce. The
Master explains - Tablet to Miss Rosenberg - that monogamy was not
taught by Jesus. The Gospel prohibits divorce but says nothing about
monogamy. The Fathers of the Church made it a law, but Christ never did.
There was polygamy in His days, and it was not prohibited among the
early Christians. Then they not only established monogamy, but said
that celibacy should be the rule. When Jesus had not even enjoined
monogamy, and had tolerated polygamy, the Church Fathers went so far as
to establish celibacy.

“The Qur'an prohibited polygamy, but the commentators misinterpreted
the text. The text says polygamy is conditioned upon Justice, in another
passage Muhammad says Justice in these circumstances (i.e. polygamy) is
impossible. So we see that Islam is a step in advance of Christianity. The
mission of the Bahá'ís in proving Islam is a further step
in Revelation than Christianity, must cite this evidence.

“These things should be taught in the summer schools in relation to
comparative religion and Islam.

“We have to consider the Aqdas in the light of the authorized
interpreter, the Master. Bahá'u'lláh in a passage says
marriage with two wives is conditioned upon Justice. The Master says in
a Tablet to Miss Rosenberg, that Justice is impossible, (to be just to
two wives). It is just like the Qur'an. Both the Qur'an and the
Bahá'í teachings are a step further than the Gospels. The
missionaries, the enemies of the Cause will quote the Aqdas and claim we
do not advocate monogamy. Then we must quote the Master's Tablet.
Bahá'u'lláh says in the Aqdas, "Refer ye to what is not in
the Aqdas to the Most Great Branch;" and in the "Tablet of the
Covenant, (Kitab-i-Ahd) He quotes this passage of His and says the
Master is that Branch. The Church Fathers had no right to prohibit what
Christ had not prohibited, and yet they went a step further and
established celibacy.”

(See also Some Answered Questions Chapter 7 also for
misunderstandings of Muslims on misunderstanding and praising Muhammad’s
polygamy and placing attachment to warfare (intended to be defensive
against the pagan Arabs) and superstitious ascription of miracles as
obscuring receptivity to Islám in the West.)

Though the Bahá'í Writings unequivocally uphold the
divine inspiration of the Bible, the greater authenticity of the
Qur'án, despite what some scholars might say, might be for
Bahá'ís another important incentive to study the
Qur'án (though it is certainly not worth becoming a matter for
contention in discussions with Christians).

"The Bible is not wholly authentic, and in this respect is not
to be compared with the Qur'án, and should be wholly subordinated
to the authentic writings of Bahá'u'lláh." (On behalf of
Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Lights of Guidance, vol. iii., p. 502)

"In regard to your question concerning the authenticity of the
Qur'án. I have referred it to the Guardian for his opinion. He
thinks that the Qur'án is, notwithstanding the opinion of certain
historians, quite authentic, and that consequently it should be
considered in its entirety by every faithful and loyal believer as the
sacred scriptures of the Muhammadan Revelation." (From a letter dated
July 6, 1934 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer)

"It is certainly most difficult to thoroughly grasp all the Surihs of
the Qur'án, as it requires a detailed knowledge of the social,
religious and historical background of Arabia at the time of the
appearance of the Prophet. The believers can not possibly hope,
therefore, to understand the Surihs after the first or even second or
third reading. They have to study them again and again, ponder over
their meaning, with the help of certain commentaries and explanatory
notes as found, for instance, in the admirable translation made by SALE,
endeavor to acquire as clear and correct understanding of their meaning
and import as possible. This is naturally a slow process, but future
generations of believers will certainly come to grasp it. For the
present, the Guardian agrees, that it would be easier and more helpful
to study the Book according to subjects, and note verse by verse and
also in the light of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and
'Abdu'l-Bahá's interpretation which throw such floods of light on
the whole of the Qur'án."

(Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 64)

(Note that such a subject-based compilation
was prepared in 1941 by the Study Outline Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States.)

The following quotations are included here to direct
Bahá'ís to the degree of explicitness with which our
Writings emphasize the need to study the Qur'án and Islám.

It should be noted that the quotations below indicate that one should
both study the Bahá’í Writings in order to better
understand the Qur’án, the Bible, etc., and also that study of
the Qur’án will help in understanding the Bahá’í
Writings.

“It is very good to memorize the logical points and the proofs of the
Holy Books. Those proofs and evidences which establish the fact that
Bahá’u’lláh is the fulfillment of the Promises of the Holy
Books.” (Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Pearls of Wisdom,
43)

(Numerous other quotations also exist referring to the need for study
classes to be held to study these proofs (a weekly basis is
recommended). See the compilations, Bahá'í Meetings
and The Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of
the Faith for more of these such quotations.)

“The first thing to do is to acquire a thirst for Spirituality, then
Live the Life! Live the Life! Live the Life! The way to acquire this
thirst is to meditate upon the future life. Study the Holy Words, read
your Bible, read the Holy Books, especially study the Holy
Utterances of Bahá’u’lláh; Prayer and Meditation, take
much time for these two. Then will you know this Great Thirst, and then
only can you begin to Live the Life!” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of
the West, vol. 19, no. 3, p. 69 quoted in Pearls of Wisdom,
pp. 44-45, underlining added)“The attainment of the most great guidance is dependent upon
knowledge and wisdom, and on being informed as to the mysteries of the
Holy Words. Wherefore must the loved ones of God, be they young or
old, be they men or women, each one according to his capabilities,
strive to acquire the various branches of knowledge, and to increase
his understanding of the mysteries of the Holy Books, and his skill
in marshaling the divine proofs and evidences.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets
of the Divine Plan, 12:9, p. 88, underlining added)

“If for example a spiritually learned Muslim is conducting a debate
with a Christian and he knows nothing of the glorious melodies of the
Gospel, he will, no matter how much he imparts of the Qur’án and
its truths, be unable to convince the Christian, and his words will fall
on deaf ears. Should, however, the Christian observe that the Muslim is
better versed in the fundamentals of Christianity than the Christian
priests themselves, and understands the purport of the Scriptures even
better than they, he will gladly accept the Muslim’s arguments, and he
would indeed have no other recourse.”

“When the Chief of the Exile [The Resh Galuta, a prince or ruler of the
exiles in Babylon, to whom Jews, wherever they were, paid tribute] came
into the presence of that Luminary of divine wisdom, of salvation and
certitude, the Imám Ridá [the 8th Imám]–had the
Imám, that mine of knowledge, failed in the course of their
interview to base his arguments on authority appropriate and familiar
to the Exilarch [“one of a line of Jewish civil and judicial rulers of
the exiles in Babylon from about the third to the tenth centuries A.D.”
(Webster's Third New International Dictionary, p. 796)], the
latter would never have acknowledged the greatness of His Holiness.”
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 36,
underlining added)

“I have been informed that the purpose of your class meeting is to study
the significances and mysteries of the Holy Scriptures and
understand the meaning of the divine Testaments. It is a cause of great
happiness to me that you are turning unto the Kingdom of God, that you
desire to approach the presence of God and to become informed of the
realities and precepts of God. It is my hope that you may put
forth your most earnest endeavor to accomplish this end, that you
may investigate and study the Holy Scriptures word by word so that you
may attain knowledge of the mysteries hidden therein. Be not
satisfied with words, but seek to understand the spiritual meanings
hidden in the heart of the words.” (Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation
of Universal Peace, pp. 458-459, quoted in Pearls of Wisdom,
pp. 40-41, underlining added)

“The Sacred Books are full of allusions to this new dispensation. In
the Book of Íqán, Bahá’u’lláh gives the
key-note and explains some of the outstanding passages hoping that the
friends will continue to study the Sacred Books by themselves and unfold
the mysteries found therein.
“The people, failing to comprehend the meaning of the symbols and the
truth of the Sacred Verses, thought them to be myths and unrealizable
dreams. It is the duty of the friends who have been endowed by
Bahá’u’lláh with the power of discernment to study these
Sacred Books, ponder upon their passages and teach the disheartened
people of the earth the treasures of knowledge they enclose.” (On
behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Pearls of Wisdom, 65-66, underlining
added)

"Shoghi Effendi hopes that you will exert all your efforts first in
deepening your own knowledge of the teachings and then strive to attract
other people. You should form study classes and read the important books
that have been published, especially the Íqán which
contains the basic tenets of the Faith. The one who ponders over that
book and grasps its full significance will obtain a clear insight
into the old scriptures and appreciate the true mission of the
Báb and Bahá’u’lláh" (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Pearls
of Wisdom, 69-70, underlining added)

“Shoghi Effendi wishes me also to express his deepfelt appreciation of
your intention to study the Qur’án. The knowledge of
this revealed holy Book is, indeed, indispensable to every
Bahá’í who wishes to adequately understand the Writings of
Bahá’u’lláh. And in view of that the Guardian has
been invariably encouraging the friends to make as thorough a study of
this Book as possible, particularly in their summer schools.” (On behalf
of Shoghi Effendi, Pearls of Wisdom, 88-89, underlining added)

"The truth is that Western historians have for many centuries distorted
the facts to suit their religious and ancestral prejudices. The
Bahá'ís should try to study history anew, and to base
all their investigations first and foremost on the written Scriptures of
Islám and Christianity." (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted
in Lights of Guidance, p. 497, underlining added)

"Although," 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in the Tablets of the Divine Plan,
has written, "in most of the states and cities of the United States,
praise be to God, His fragrances are diffused, and souls unnumbered are
turning their faces and advancing toward the Kingdom of God, yet in
some of the states the Standard of Unity is not yet upraised as it
should be, nor are the mysteries of the Holy Books, such as the
Bible, the Gospel, and the Qur'án, unraveled. Through the
concerted efforts of all the friends the Standard of Unity must needs
be unfurled in those states, and the Divine teachings promoted, so that
these states may also receive their portion of the heavenly bestowals
and a share of the Most Great Guidance." (Shoghi Effendi, The
Advent of Divine Justice, pp. 57-58, underlining added)

"The Qur'án should be to some extent studied by the
Bahá'ís but they certainly need not seek to acquire a
mastery over it, which would take years, unless they really want to.
All Divine Revelation seems to have been thrown out in flashes. The
Prophets never composed treatises. That is why in the Qur'án and
our own Writings different subjects are so often included in one Tablet.
It pulsates, so to speak. That is why it is "Revelation"." (Shoghi
Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, pp. 453-454, underlining added)

(Quotations on the greatness of the Qur'án in the Writings of
the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá are too
numerous to cite here, though a search through these Writings for
references to it should be insightful.)

“As regards the courses, he would advise you to continue laying
emphasis on the history and teachings of Islám, and in particular
on the Islamic origins of the Faith.” (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Centers
of Bahá’í Learning, pp. 13-14, underlining added)

“With regard to the school’s program for the next summer; the
Guardian would certainly advise, and even urge the friends to make a
thorough study of the Qur’án, as the knowledge of this Sacred
Scripture is absolutely indispensable for every believer who wishes to
adequately understand, and intelligently read the Writings of
Bahá’u’lláh. Although there are very few persons
among our Western Bahá’ís who are capable of handling such
a course in a scholarly way yet, the mere lack of such competent
teachers should encourage and stimulate the believers to get better
acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures of Islám. In this way,
there will gradually appear some distinguished Bahá’ís who
will be so well versed in the teachings of Islám as to be able
to guide the believers in their study of that religion.” (On behalf of
Shoghi Effendi, Pearls of Wisdom, 90-91, underlining added)

“As regards the study courses for the next year’s session; the Guardian
wishes you to cover the same subjects, namely the Administrative Order
and Islám, but feels that these should be studied
through more detailed and concentrated examination of all their aspects.
An effort should be done to raise the standard of studies, so as to
provide the Bahá’í student with a thorough knowledge of
the Cause that would enable him to expound it befittingly to the
educated public.” (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Centers of
Bahá’í Learning, p. 9, underlining added)

"The beloved Guardian stressed that one of the important purposes of
Bahá'í summer schools is to deepen the knowledge of the
believers in the history and Teachings of the Faith so that they can
become better teachers. To this end he emphasized the study of
Islám and Qur'án so that the friends would have a
background against which to study the Bahá'í Writings..."
(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, quoted in Lights of
Guidance, vol. iii, p. 559, underlining added)

“...through the organization of courses on the teachings and
history of Islám ...these schools, open to
Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike, have set so
noble an example as to inspire other Bahá’í
communities...to undertake the initial measures designed to enable them
to build along the same lines institutions that bid fair to evolve into
the Bahá’í universities of the future.” (Shoghi Effendi,
quoted in Centers of Bahá’í Learning, p. 12,
underlining added)

"Let him also attempt to devise such methods as association with clubs,
exhibitions, and societies, lectures on subjects akin to...
religious...tolerance,...Islám, and Comparative
Religion...which, while safeguarding the integrity of his Faith, will
open up to him a multitude of ways and means whereby he can enlist
successively the sympathy, the support, and ultimately the allegiance of
those with whom he comes in contact." (Shoghi Effendi, Advent of
Divine Justice, p. 51)

"First is the importance of the study of Islám–which subject is
still new to the majority of the believers, but whose importance for a
proper & sound understanding of the Cause is absolutely
indispensable. Your Committee should therefore continue to emphasize the
study of this all-important subject, & make every effort to provide
the attendance with all the facilities required, such as textbooks,
competent lecturers & writers, who though not necessarily
Bahá'ís, should have a correct knowledge & sound
appreciation of Islám, so as to be able to impress its true
significance & mission upon all the attendants at the school." (On
behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Lights of Guidance, vol.
iii, p. 562)

It should be abundantly clear from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s life and the
Bahá’í Writings, the Bahá’í attitude towards
people of all Faiths, both in respect for the validity of their
religious tradition, as well as for their dignity as creatures of God.
Here are a just a few quotes which recognize these accomplishments of
Muslims.

"There were three islands near the equator in the Indian (Pacific)
Ocean. The weather there is very hot. The number of inhabitants were
4,000,000, all of whom were idolaters, worshipping the sun and stars. In
the ninth century of Islam, one blessed soul went there to serve God
and God alone. He was alone and lonely. They inflicted upon him severe
injuries, calamities and persecution, but he never ceased in his efforts
until he had converted all the inhabitants of those three islands to
Islam. Now if such souls could be found, in a short time all those
regions would become illumined." ('Abdu'l-Bahá, published in Star
of the West, Vol. IX, September 8, 1918, p. 120)

Please note that numbering of verses has been added to a number of the versions below for ease of reference. The system chosen was J. M. Rodwell's, given the historical interest to Bahá'ís of these translations given the usage of Rodwell within Bahá'í works and given the mention by the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, Shoghi Effendi, of these translations.

Please note that a few corrections have been made (Oct. 11, 2015) since the previous version, including the following changes which were apparent mistakes of the print editions of Rodwell on which the Sale translation was based (please note that the subsequent numbering was changed for the rest of the mentioned suráhs):

Suráh 2: divided verse 176 to end in "This is a duty incumbent on those who fear GOD." so as to form 176-177.

Suráh 29: verse 24 appears as two verses (24-25) (with verse 24 previously as "And Abraham said, Ye have taken idols, besides GOD, to cement affection between you in this life:"). Joined them to form 24.

Suráh 91: verse 14 appears as two verses (14-15) (with verse 14 previously as "But they charged him with imposture; and they slew her."). Joined them to form 14.

Suráh 96: divided verse 11 to form 11-12 as follows:
11: What thinkest thou; if he follow the right direction;
12: or command piety?

These changes were corroborated by the facts that:

In some of these, the subsequent decimal verse count did not otherwise add up.

In some of these, the total verse count would not match the count explicitly given.

Rodwell indicates in his introduction that he sought to follow the Fluegel edition which differs in the manner described above.

single-spaced (with indentations). This
version also contains the contents of A, B, D, (F) and G, but it takes a
lot longer to load (more intended for printing).HTML, RTF, Word (docx), or Word (doc)

double spaced (no indentations besides for
numbering) (in two parts) (recommended version for browsing
on-line). This is also the version to which our Table of Chapters (D. above) links.
HTML 1 or 2
RTF 1 and 2

with styles and markings (currently single-spaced)
(for those wishing to resize the text or footnotes (for printing) by
making find-and-replaces (Word only) or changing of styles) (Files are
in two parts.)

(Note: For those interested in obtaining a print copy, Rodwell’s
translation, unlike Sale’s translation which is long out of print,
should be available for purchase at a bookstore (e.g., http://www.amazon.com ). It
should be specifically available at the following Amazon
site.)

If you have used Rodwell’s translation from Project Gutenberg, the
version they, as of the time of this writing, have yet to make the
updated version available, so you may wish to download the version here
to update your texts (some notes and a whole Suráh that were
missing were added, some corrections made, and formatting added.)

The Bible currently only has one translation without notes, while the
Qur’ánic version has two translations with corresponding notes
for each.

The Qur’án is not separated into different books and its
chapters are called Suráhs, so these fields are different.

The Qur’án currently does not have special fields for pilgrim’s
notes (nor do I recall finding many (or any) specific interpretations
listed in pilgrim’s notes anyhow) or Bahá’í scholars’
writings.

In the Qur’án, writings by the Research Department are included
in a separate special column along with semi-authenticated texts such as
the Dawn-Breakers, considering that the former might not have
the same binding weight as statements made by the Universal House of
Justice itself. However, in the Bible, these were included within the
Central Figures’ Writings column.

In the Qu’ránic Bahá’í translation column,
paraphrases were noted with “cf.” and in the Bible ones, they were noted
with the word “paraphrasing”.

In the Bible Bahá’í references columns, for some
references, there is a summary of what the passage was about.

The Qur’án currently does not have a column for Biblical
references or even Qur’ánic cross-references, while the Bible has
the corresponding columns (albeit without much data currently).

This is a multilinear Qur’án, allowing you to view multiple
translations, notes, further reference information, and commentary verse
by verse. If you prefer to view the individual translations (with or
without their notes) outside of a database format, go to section
VI.
Since in the process of transferring data to the database,
some information was lost (e.g., italics, raised superscripts, and even
perhaps some quotation marks), the individual copies may be preferable
in some cases where accuracy is essential. The on-line copies have been
proofread, but of course, there may even be an occasional error in the
individual copies as well. Feel free to email me at if you spot any
errors, particularly if you can verify that the errors do not exist in
the print version as well (though it may be difficult to find an
original printings), and we may be able to update the on-line copy.

This multilinear Qur’án uses the two translations of the
Qur’án mentioned in the Bahá’í Writings
(recommended as being the best at their time). These two versions are
George Sale’s work and J.M. Rodwell’s.

Verse numbers have of course been included, according to Rodwell’s
verse parsing. Sale’s translation has been parsed here for ease of
reference according to Rodwell’s versification particularly since Sale
did not make his own verse numbering system. One also has the option to
view the Suráhs either according to the sequence Rodwell devised
in attempting to determine their sequential order of revelation, or one
may view the verses according to the traditional ordering of the
Suráhs.

There are two columns for viewing references made in the
Bahá’í Writings to the given verse or chapter. In either
column one may click on the link to go to the referenced quotation.
This will allow a viewing of the reference (or quotation) in a fuller
context. In many cases, the reference in question is not really a full
interpretation of the general meaning of the given verse, but may simply
be one specific application of the verse (e.g., praise for a believer
in embodying a standard set in the Qur’án). Nevertheless, it may
be of interest to see the example context in which the verse was used.

For either of these reference columns, I have not included verse
numbers unless the reference involves multiple verses. In a few cases
the reference may extend longer than the length covered by the
corresponding translated verse(s) in which case the longer reference is
given. I have noted subsequent continguous references as being continued
(“cont.”).

One of these columns is dedicated to references made by the Central
Figures of the Bahá’í Faith, the Báb,
Bahá’u’lláh, or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as to
interpretations of Shoghi Effendi (note: this grouping is different from
the multilinear Bible). Another column is dedicated to special sources
of information which may provide a somewhat authoritative elucidation
of the given verse. The latter category includes references from the
Universal House of Justice Research Department, letters of
Bahíyyih Khánum and references made in the
Dawn-Breakers, a work which though written by
Nabíl-i-Zarandí, was translated by Shoghi Effendi.

A category could later be added to include pilgrim’s notes or published
references which are from regular Bahá’í scholars.

There should also be a column dedicated to Bulletin Board posts of
individual Bahá’ís (also viewable separately by date
and/or thread).

It is hoped that with all of this information available, these
multilinear texts will help the Bahá’í community to
elucidate other references in the Bible or Qur’án to this
dispensation, according to the following quotation of Shoghi Effendi:

“The Sacred Books are full of allusions to this new dispensation. In
the Book of Íqán, Bahá’u’lláh gives the
key-note and explains some of the outstanding passages hoping that the
friends will continue to study the Sacred Books by themselves and unfold
the mysteries found therein.

“The people, failing to comprehend the meaning of the symbols and the
truth of the Sacred Verses, thought them to be myths and unrealizable
dreams. It is the duty of the friends who have been endowed by
Bahá’u’lláh with the power of discernment to study these
Sacred Books, ponder upon their passages and teach the disheartened
people of the earth the treasures of knowledge they enclose.” (On behalf
of Shoghi Effendi, Pearls of Wisdom, p. 65)

I have also created a column for viewing the translation made in the
Bahá’í Writings of the given Qur’ánic verse.
Unless there is a prefix indicating otherwise, the translation is by
Shoghi Effendi. In some cases, the translation in the
Bahá’í Writings is only a paraphrasing of the original
quotation or is an adaptation of the quotation to fit a different
context. I have tried to include either only the segment of the
quotation which could be seen as a word-for-word translation, or a
prefacing of a quotation with a “cf.” compare mark.

The prefixes include BWC for Bahá’í World Centre (or a
translation done with the assistence of a committee at the
Bahá’í World Centre), MG for Marzieh Gail, EGB for E.G.
Browne, and O for Other (the original translator may not be readily
determined). I have listed some translations as being from the
Bahá’í World Centre, even though Habib Taherzadeh is
mentioned as the primary translator (the Bahá’í World
Centre assisted him with a committee), since BWC conveys what I perceive
to be a certain stamp of approval from the Universal House of Justice.

Multiple translations of the same verse are ordered according to the
order in which references are listed in the Bahá’í
Central Figures column. References not made in this column state
explicitly their source (usually at the top) (e.g., “Shoghi Effendi from
the Dawn-Breakers:”), unless there are no references in the
Bahá’í Central Figures column, in which case only the
quote translation may be provided.

If enough data is inputted by others, we could perhaps add a future
column or columns at a later date which could refer specifically to such
things as pilgrim's notes; Qur’ánic cross-references, Bible
references/links, perhaps based on information already existing within
Sale’s and Rodwell’s notes (with the multilinear on-line Bible perhaps
itself linking back to the Qur'án); Arabic text; archaelogical
historical, interpretative, and translation information from published
or unpublished scholars, etc. (allowing links in all cases).

If you wish to view it instead in segments (since it should load
faster and get you closer to where you want to be), select from the
following:

With Frames (Note: In addition to always showing the description
box at the top, the frames in this version can also be adjusted for size
by dragging the frame's border; their contents can be moved by using
the scroll bars.)

(If you wish to view pages such as the introductory pages, the Table of
Contents, the Preliminary Discourse, Chapter Outlines, the Index, etc.,
you need to go to section
VI (or section
V for the abridged Version). )

Regarding a few recent (Oct. 11, 2015) changes to the numbering of this edition, please see the section on Sale.